Wicklow man who went on drug-fuelled rampage through Wexford housing estate armed with a machete is jailed

Yesterday 16:00

A drug fuelled rampage through a Courtown hosing estate was recalled at Wexford Circuit Court.

Sean Conway (33) was armed with what was described as a machete during the incident at Riverchapel Place/View. The incident on the evening of May 4, 2019 prompted burglary and criminal damage charges from the DPP.

Conway entered pleas of guilty. His address was given in court documents as 59 Hazelwood, Bray. However, he was staying in the Courtown area at the time and was known to residents there.

Judge James McCourt heard how gardaí were first alerted on the day in question by a householder in Riverchapel Place. A resident in Number 14 saw the defendant coming in over her back wall carrying the machete. The weapon – a long knife with a yellow handle – was shows to the court by Garda James Whelan.

After landing in the garden of Number 14, Conway broke through the side gate, bursting it off its hinges. He then made his way to Number 11 where he entered the house and went up the stairs.

While the householder remained downstairs with his children and rang the guards, he jumped out of a bedroom window. He still had the knife in his hand as he landed on a piece of garden furniture which broke under his weight.

Conway then scrambled over the back fenced and found himself at the rear of 106 Riverchapel View. Around this time he dropped the machete and it was later recovered by investigating gardaí. He was observed getting over another fence and into Number 107.

The householder there heard a noise and saw the accused cross his hallway and go into his kitchen where there was a commotion. The gardaí arrived to find Conway still inside the house where he was arrested after a short struggle.

After observing his behaviour, the officers referred him for psychiatric treatment.

Defending counsel Diarmuid Collins acknowledged that his client was totally psychotic at the time due to the influence of drugs. The garda observed that there was no rhyme of reason to Conway’s behaviour, which was very frightening for those who witnessed it.

It was clear that the burglaries were not motivated by any intention to steal.

Mr Collins revealed that the accused, who left school at the age of 15, got into drugs at the age of 16. Already serving a sentence for another offence, he was now reading a lot in prison and attending school there.

Judge McCourt agreed that he was out of his mind during the incident which landed him before the court.

“No person in their right mind would consider doing what you embarked on,” the judge observed.

A three year sentence was imposed and Conway was told that he would have to serve this in its entirety unless he secures a place on a residential rehab programme.